Klebba's Snail-Eater

description

Description of holotype. Adult male, SVL 608 mm, tail length 262 mm (43 % SVL); head length 20.3 mm (3 % SVL) from tip of snout to commissure of mouth; head width 12.7 mm (62 % head length) taken at broadest point; snout-orbit distance 5.4 mm; head distinct from neck; snout short, blunt in dorsal and lateral outline; rostral 4.0 mm wide, broader than high; internasals 2.6 mm wide, as broad as long; prefrontals 3.9 mm wide, broader than long, excluded from entering orbit by preocular; supraocular 4.3 mm long, broader than long; frontal 4.5 mm long, hexagonal, in contact with prefrontals, supraoculars, and parietals; parietals 6.6 mm long, longer than broad; nasal divided, in contact with first two supralabials, loreal, prefrontal, internasal, and rostral; loreal 2.6 mm long, slightly longer than high, entering orbit; eye diameter 4.5 mm; pupil semi-elliptical; one preocular; two postoculars; temporals 2 + 2; ten supralabials, 5 th and 6 th contacting orbit; symphysial separated from chinshields by the first pair of infralabials; 14 infralabials, 2 - 7 contacting chinshields; anterior pair of chinshields longer than broad, posterior pair broader than long; dorsal scales in 15 / 15 /

Systematics of South American snail-eating snakes (Serpentes, Dipsadini), with the description of five new species from Ecuador and Peru

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Dipsas klebbai is placed in the genus Dipsas based on phylogenetic evidence (Fig. 3), and the absence of a labial that is noticeably higher than other labials and in contact with the postocular, primary and secondary temporals. The species differs from all described species of Dipsas based on the following combination of characters: (1) 15 / 15 / 15 smooth dorsals with enlarged vertebral row (1.5 - 1.8 times as wide as adjacent rows); (2) one loreal and one preocular in contact with orbit; (3) 9 - 11 supralabials with (usually) 4 th to 6 th contacting orbit; (4) one pair of infralabials in contact behind symphysial; (5) 181 - 201 ventrals in males, 187 - 194 in females; (6) 99 - 123 divided subcaudals in males, 98 - 106 in females; (7) dorsal and ventral ground color light brown with various degrees of fine black speckling and 27 - 36 dark brown to black, cream-edged oblong blotches that are longer that interspaces and become smaller towards the tail (Fig. 2 m, n); on first half of body, the dark bands meet ventrally to form full body rings; on second half they fail to meet ventrally; head black with different degrees of whitish edging on the labial scales, and a thin (1

Systematics of South American snail-eating snakes (Serpentes, Dipsadini), with the description of five new species from Ecuador and Peru

distribution

Distribution. Endemic to the eastern slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes in the provinces of Napo and Sucumbios at elevations between 1246 and 2120 m (Fig. 4).

Systematics of South American snail-eating snakes (Serpentes, Dipsadini), with the description of five new species from Ecuador and Peru

etymology

Etymology. Named after Casey Klebba, in recognition of his appreciation of and passion for Andean wildlife, and his invaluable support of AA's field expeditions to remote areas of Ecuador. After a visit to Peru in 2011, Casey became an active supporter of conservation and scientific projects in Ecuador.

Systematics of South American snail-eating snakes (Serpentes, Dipsadini), with the description of five new species from Ecuador and Peru